It has been postulated that there is "life" on another planet in our galaxy. The following data concerning the nature of this life have been obtained from "reliable" sources. Using these data, what additional information is necessary, and how would you go about verifying these data in developing a theory of the origin of life on planet X?

1. The age of the planet is 5 billion years.
2. Water is present in the atmosphere.
3. The planet is farther from the Sun than our Earth is from our Sun.
4. The molecules of various gases in the atmosphere are constantly being removed.
5. Chemical reactions on this planet occur at approximately half the rate at which they occur on Earth.

You might want to consider the following as you think about this question. Is it important to know what kinds of gases are present in the atmosphere? Is it reasonable to assume that water exists as a liquid? What affect would clouds have on the surface temperature? Could the distance from the Sun affect surface temperature? How does temperature affect the rate of chemical reactions? How does the age of this planet compare to that of the Earth? What kinds of techniques have been used to verify information about the nature of other planets in our solar system? Can any of these techniques be useful to you?